Cluttered, chaotic business bags are pure stress. That’s why the Belgian bag label Kaai has developed a bag concept for women on-the-go that not only looks elegant, but also finally creates order. Kaai has just started on an area in the PKZ in Zurich.
Almost everyone knows this image of women fumbling around in their handbags in a bit of panic, looking for something and not finding it: the ringing smartphone, the charging cable before the battery is empty, the flight ticket, the car key, etc. Many women experience this again and again for one simple reason : Your business bags are often not designed in such a way that keeping things tidy is really possible. Ine Verhaert and Helga Meersmans also knew this problem only too well. When the two Belgians had the idea of founding a bag label for business women together in Antwerp in 2017, they had already been working successfully in the fashion business and retail for more than 20 years, traveled a lot and were annoyed by the constant search. With “Kaai” they wanted to create a bag label that takes into account practicality, design and quality craftsmanship in equal measure. “We conducted a lot of interviews with women to be sure which features are really important,” says Ine Verhaert. After a year of research and product development, the first Kaai collection was launched in 2018. In the same year, the first Kaai store opened in Antwerp.
Sophisticated bag design for many occasions
Kaai bags have a clear layout with a laptop compartment and many other practical inner pockets and also retain their shape and stability when they are loaded. The high-quality cowhide comes from Italy and has a patented coating to protect the bag from moisture and scratches.
With prices between 495 and 695 euros for the business bags, Kaai’s well thought-out concept was well received. The collection quickly developed further. It now includes not only business bags, but also smaller formats and a larger range of colors. The new collection for SS 2022 is also based on trendy cream and bright blue. “Our bags should not only be practical. You can also see them, which is why we didn’t just want to offer black and cognac from the start,” says Helga Meersmans.
There are currently four bag models: Ikon, Pyramid, Bowler and Hero, all of which are available in different sizes, including belt bags and clutches. There have also been design collaborations. What they all have in common is the Kaai-typical blue lining made of micro suede, high-quality workmanship and the many useful details.
International expansion: start in Switzerland
In Belgium, Kaai was able to gain a foothold quickly. When the company had to expand online retail during the pandemic, it found that the products worked well in many more markets. Kaai now sells as far away as Singapore and the USA.
However, wholesale remains important and should be further promoted: This spring, Kaai started in the department store PKZ in Zurich, which has just redesigned its bag department. “This is great recognition for us, because the PKZ attaches great importance to a well-curated range,” says Valérie Sevin, who is responsible for sales in Switzerland and France. “The business city of Zurich suits our target group well.” From the end of April, Kaai will also be available at De Bijenkorf in the Netherlands. In 2021, the second Belgian Kaai store opened in Brussels.
Kaai Community: A bag as a distinguishing feature
Kaai not only wants to offer its customers a timeless, durable and practical product, but also a community. The label has now built up an active community of Kaai customers via social media, who find each other through their bags. “We keep hearing that the bag is the reason to start a conversation with another woman,” the founders say happily. “Every woman is proud to be part of this network.”
And what are the further plans? “First of all, the international expansion of the brand is in the foreground,” says Ine Verhaert. The Flemish word Kaai means in German: quay, i.e. the fortified riverbank. In Antwerp, trade used to take place there, life pulsated there and the water connected everyone. This is exactly how it should continue.
